Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-09
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The plans below show a harbour in 2000 and how it looks today.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The figure below is demonstrating a port plan and showing how the structure was enhanced to give a new look and to make it more spacious.
In 2000, the harbour was not having any cafes or shops however in a new plan those were added for public convenience. The washrooms and showers were only one in 2000, but it was added in a new plan and is functional today for people use. Marina and fishing boats are swapped in a new plan which is beneficial and even more save than before. The major update on east side is a new hotel, which were not present in old times, beside this a beautiful private beach is also alloted. In a new plan another enhance ment was adding a new dock place, which was not better in old times because there were only one that time. The main road also became a major benefit for the visitors as it is now giving access to every place.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response identifies the main features of the harbour transformation, such as the addition of cafes, shops, and the hotel. However, the overview is weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes, such as the overall expansion of facilities and the improved infrastructure. The description of the changes is somewhat fragmented, and the report would benefit from a more structured approach, perhaps grouping changes by category (e.g., commercial vs. infrastructure). While the key features are mentioned, the comparison between the two time periods is sometimes imprecise, and the response lacks a cohesive summary statement that synthesizes the overall development of the harbour.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into two paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. The transition between describing the facilities and the infrastructure is abrupt. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'however' and 'beside this', they are occasionally used awkwardly or with incorrect punctuation. The referencing is sometimes unclear, for example, 'those were added' lacks a clear antecedent. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the second paragraph is repetitive, with many sentences starting in a similar way, which hinders the flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'not having any cafes' instead of 'lacked cafes' and 'alloted' (misspelled) for 'allocated'. The phrase 'not better in old times' is informal and imprecise. To improve, you should aim to use more specific terminology related to urban planning and development, such as 'commercial amenities', 'infrastructure upgrades', or 'reconfiguration'. The range is limited, and the errors in word choice occasionally draw attention to the language rather than the information.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'the harbour was not having' (incorrect tense/aspect), 'it was added' (incorrect pronoun reference), and 'which were not present' (subject-verb agreement error with 'hotel'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. You should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage for describing past and present states, and refining the use of relative clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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